An unequivocal no would be my answer here, but the reasons why are a little more complicated. I’ve worked in the Technical Services Dept. of a university library for the past 11 years. That’s a long time to dislike your job! But truth be told, I haven’t always felt this way. It’s more like I’ve grown to feel trapped in it.
I’ve held the exact same position for the duration of a decade, plus some, with little opportunity for growth. It’s a system in which, unless you have an MLS degree, you pretty much stay at the same level. You can interview for other equivalent positions to gain some semblance of variety, but you remain a staff member making the same pay.
It’s very low paying, but it’s a typical wage for the area. To give this some perspective, I currently make the same salary that I made in California in 1982. It can be very demoralizing at times. Last fall, I watched with a strong sense of injustice as two friends and co-workers were let go in a massive campus layoff, while at the same time the media was announcing the construction of a new football stadium and the simultaneous hiring of a well-known football coach.
I deal with a very difficult co-worker on a daily basis. She’s the only other person who does the exact same job that I do, and she’s been there for many more years than I have. This is a person who’s very negative and constantly complaining (kind of like I am in this blog!). A single woman in her 40s, her job is her whole world. She’s an extremely vocal and outspoken person who usurps credit and praise whether she’s deserving of it or not. Special projects come our way on occasion, and she feels slighted if she’s not chosen and will fight until she’s added to the project. I’ll admit to pathetically giving up the battle in the past two years or so. At this point, I let her take them all; I’m worn out. She can knock herself out for the same pitiful salary and the meager amount of praise that comes her way. Yeah, I admit to having a sucky attitude and becoming a doormat in this respect; it just doesn’t seem to be worth the hassle anymore.
So why do I stay? My age is a consideration; I only have a couple of years left before I retire so why go through the upheaval of changing at this point? Another factor is the unavailability of jobs in Central Georgia, and unfortunately it was this way long before the current recession. It’s an area known for three basic employers: the Air Force Base, the huge medical center, and a large hub for Geico Insurance Company. None of those are my “thing.”
I do get some positive strokes as well. I’m known as the reliable, prompt, responsible worker bee who helps out in a pinch. There’s something to be said for that. I’m the person asked to look over all marketing or public relations materials before release to the public, and have become known for my ability to rephrase and catch errors. A number of people confide in me and I’ve been told by one that I’m “like Switzerland” because I try to stay unbiased and give helpful insight on what the other person may be feeling or thinking in conflicts. In these small ways I feel valued, although it’s not enough.
Another plus--the bustling campus environment is not only beautiful but stimulating, and contact with the students helps keep my perspective lively and young. I mean, I’m a close-to-60-year-old woman (gulp!) who sings along with Kings of Leon and works out in the gym with 20-something-year-olds on a regular basis. I may not look exactly like them, but I'm right there with them. Smile.
And so it goes. I continue to endure.
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